NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL FOOD NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEM AND NUTRITION SYSTEM AND NUTRITION

SECURITYSECURITY

PROF. IGNATIUS ONIMAWO (PhD)PROF. IGNATIUS ONIMAWO (PhD)BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENTBIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT

AMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY, EKPOMA, NIGERIAAMBROSE ALLI UNIVERSITY, EKPOMA, NIGERIAonimawoig@yahoo.co.ukonimawoig@yahoo.co.uk

President Nutrition Society of NigeriaPresident Nutrition Society of Nigeria

International Scientific SymposiumInternational Scientific SymposiumBIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE DIETSBIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE DIETS

United Against HungerUnited Against Hunger33--5 November 2010.5 November 2010.

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION• Traditional food systems– refer to the human

managed biophysical systems that are involved in the production, distribution and consumption of food in a particular environment.

• Food systems are a natural locus for improving nutrition security in societies because agriculture is the primary employment sector for the ultra poor and because food consumes a very large share of the expenditures of the ultra poor.

• The causal mechanisms underpinning the poverty trap are clearly rooted in the food system that guides their production, exchange, consumption and investment behaviours.

• The most basic thing we know is that ill health, malnutrition and ultra poverty are mutually reinforcing states.

• The links are multidirectional. Low real incomes are the primary cause of chronic and acute hunger

• Even when food availability is adequate – low incomes impede access to sufficient and appropriate food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Undernutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies, is the leading risk factor for disease and death worldwide, accounting for over half the disease burden in low income countries.

• Undernutrition also impedes cognitive and physical development, thereby depressing educational attainment and adult earnings.

• Disease, in turn, impedes the uptake of scarce nutrients, aggravating hunger and micronutrient malnutrition problems and hurting labor productivity and earnings.

• Food systems are the natural locus for developing an integrated strategy for addressing hunger, ill health and poverty jointly and thus assuring nutrition security.

• Improvement in the food systems have been found to greatly reduce hunger, improve income and reduce malnutrition and the related disease conditions in so many countries.

• Food security is closely linked to nutrition security.

•Unacceptably high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates

• A woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy and childbirth is 1 in 13

• IMR is 75 deaths per 1,000 live births• Child mortality is 88 deaths per 1,000 live births• Overall under-five mortality rate is 157 deaths per

1,000 live births.•Coverage of key interventions is low .

– Drop in EBF from 17 percent to 13 percent (NDHS 2008)

Neonatal, 37%

Pneumonia, 19%

Diarrhea, 17%

Malaria, 8%

Measles, 4%

HIV/AIDs, 3%

Injuries, 3%

Other, 10%

Under-nutrition(underlying cause)

U-5 DEATHS • Up to 1 million children die before the age of five.

• 50% underlying cause is under nutrition.

• 26% are neonatal deaths (284,000).

• Nutrition security is the access to adequate diet by every member of the household at all time.

• Access to food is tied to production of enough food by the agricultural system, income, cooking methods and house hold food sharing formula.

• Each of these factors is multifaceted such that an attempt to individually discuss them will be impossible within the scope of this presentation.

WHAT ARE THESE TRADITIONAL FOOD WHAT ARE THESE TRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEMSSYSTEMS

• These involve the methods and types of foods produced within the given community or state or country.

• In Nigeria the traditional foods available are many and varied depending on climatic/agro-ecological zone.

• Traditional foods are foods produced locally which form part of the food culture inherent in the locality.

• The local climate enables the cultivation of such crops either for subsistence or for income or both.

• Food plants are traditional in the sense that they are accepted by rural communities by custom, habit and tradition as appropriate and desirable food.

• People are used to them; they know how to cultivate and prepare them and enjoy the dishes

TRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS CONTDTRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS CONTD• They are grown for food within the farming

systems operating in any particular locality or gathered as wild or semi-wild products.

• There are two groups of foods: • First, those consumed in the areas where they

are grown as traditional dietary staples, for example, cassava, yam, cocoyam, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), plantains (Musaparadisiaca) and maize.

• The second group is made up of those consumed as a component of accompanying relishes and sauces. These include oilseeds, fruits and vegetables.

• Communities have evolved their own preferences and food habits overtime and will rather stick to what is familiar.

TRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS CONTDTRADITIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS CONTD

• A few questions naturally arise at this point

• What is the nature of the Nigerian traditional food system?

• What are the methods of food production in Nigeria?

• What are the traditional foods in Nigeria?• What are the nutrient compositions of

traditional Nigerian foods?• Can the traditional food systems and the

nutrient compositions assure nutrition security?

• About 294 species and over 400 varieties of foods were documented in the South eastern part of Nigeria alone.

• The foreign rice syndrome has in the recent past overtaken many households, especially in the urban areas.

• Twenty one (21) species of starchy roots and tubers, 20 legumes, 21 nuts/seeds, 116 vegetables, 12 mushrooms and 36 fruits have been documented in southern Nigeria.

• Cereals, starchy roots and tubers are important food groups for the majority of Nigerians.

• They are available all year round but are more abundant during the harvest season.

• Most commonly consumed legume in Nigeria is the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata).

• Local varieties of cowpea and other species of legumes are also available but not produced in very large quantities including bambara nut, African yam bean, ground nut, etc.

• Mushrooms are also consumed though in relatively small quantities.

• Fruits are not main parts of the diet but are eaten outside regular meals.

• Two types of oil (red palm oil and vegetable oil- mainly ground nut oil) are commonly used.

• A total of 21 condiments and spices were identified. Some of these condiments are soup thickeners and are high in dietary fiber.

• Animal foods were about 27 species for meat/poultry/eggs, 12 species of fish and 3 species of insect/larvae were documented.

• The most popular game meats are grass-cutter, rabbit and antelope

• Milk and milk products not common food items except in the northern part of Nigeria.

• In all communities, foods are eaten not only for their nutritional values but also for their medicinal and socio-cultural significance.

Boiled, roastedede oku, edebuji, akpahuri

CocoyamXanthosoma mafaffa (2 cvar.)

Used for soupAcharaMilletsPennisetum spp.

Boiled, milledOsikapa, iresiRice Oryza sativa

Milled, boiledOsikapaRed riceOryza glaberrima

Eaten as ripe fruitUnele, ogedeBananaMusa sapientum (many var.)

Boiled, roasted, fried and made into flour

osukwu,obuunu, ogedenokhua

PlantainMusa paradisiacal

Fermented for foofoo, boiled and sliced for dry chips

akpu nkola inuCassava (sweet and bitter types)Manihot esculenta (2 var.)

Boiled, friedji nwa nnuPotatoes, sweet white, potatoes, yellowish red

Ipomoea batatas (2 var.)

Boiled, roasted, fried, poundedjiocha,ji igweWhite yamDioscorea rptimdata

Boiled ji okpuru, emhiYamDioscorea praehensilis

Boiled ona,uno, otsinoThree leafed yamDioscorea dumentorium

Boiled, roasted poundedji oku, ochiokpoYellow yamDioscorea cayenensis

Boiledadu, aduinuAerial yamDioscorea bulbifera

Boiled, pounded ji abana, ji mvulaWater yamDioscorea alata

Boiled and pounded with cassavaCocoindia, nkpongnambing, okoroko

CocoyamColocasia spp. (3 var.)

Boiled and pounded with cassavaAkanokeCocoyamColocasia var. esculenta

Boiled, dry chipsede ofe, ngbowa, akikaraCocoyamColocasia esculenta

Cereals, starchy roots and tubers

PreparationLocal nameEnglish/common nameScientific name

CLASSIFICATION OF TRADITIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF TRADITIONAL FOODSFOODS

• Roots and tubers• Cereals and legumes• Vegetables and fruits• Herbs and spices• Livestock and game• Soup condiments

(1) Roots and Tubers:• Examples of roots and tubers include cassava, yams,

coco yams – these are mainly produced and consumed in the humid savannah and rainforest agro- ecological zones. These stretch from middle belt to southern part of Nigeria.

• Products from roots and tubers include the following:• Pounded yam, garri, eba, amala, boiled yam, yam

porridge, akpu, tapioca, abacha flakes etc

• Some tubers of cassava and yams

Some products from cassava: Some products from cassava: GariGari and and akpuakpu

• Yellow and white gari• AkpuPrepared from fermented cassava

• (2) Cereals and legumes• Examples include maize, sorghum, millet, acha,

rice, beni seed (cereals), and cowpeas, pigeon pea, African yam bean, mung bean, African breadfruit etc

• Food products from cereals and legumes • -Boiled rice, jollof and rice pudding e.g Tuwo

shinkafa , cornfood, pap, eko/agidi, “maize –rice”

• -African bread fruit jollof, toasted bread fruit seeds etc

• -Boiled bean, marshed beans, rice and beans jollof beans, moin moin, akara, gbegiri soup etc -Beni seed soup, acha, tuwo masara etc,

• -Boilled or roasted corn – corn and groundnut, groundnut soup etc

Maize and milletMaize and millet• Some of the common foodstuffs

• Different legumes

Groundnuts and beansGroundnuts and beans• Unshelled groundnut Shelled

groundnut and different beans.

Some products from legumes: Some products from legumes: MoinMoin--moinmoin and and akara(fromakara(from cowpea), cowpea), okpa(fromokpa(from bambaranutbambaranut), ),

kwilikwilikwilikwili (from ground nut(from ground nut

Dry, milled and used as soup thickenerogbonoDika nutIrvingia gabonensis(2 var.)

13

Used as dried powder for infant feeding-Soya beanGlycine max12

Cracked and eaten with other fruits, roasted for oil extraction

akuPalm nutElaeis guineenis11

Milled dry and used for soupmkpuru anyu, ugboguruPumpkin seedCucurbita pepo10

Eaten as stimulant and for cultural purposesoji igboKola nutCola nitida (2 var)9

Eaten as stimulant and for cultural purposesoji awusaKola nutCola acuminate (2 var.)

8

Eaten with other foods, milled to extract milk, sliced and roasted as candies etc.

aku oyibo, akubekeeCoconutCocos nucifera7

Milled for soup and meat substitute (patties).egusiMelon seedCitrullus vulgaris6

Roasted , milled used as thickeneroduduJack beanCanavalia ensiformis5

Boiled, roasted and milledagbugbuPigeon peaCajanus cajan (3 var.)

4

Boiled, roasted, milled to pasteopapaGroundnutArachis hypogeal (2 var)

3

Toasted and eaten as snacknkpulu cashewCashew nutAnacardumoccidentalis

2

Milled and used as a spiceolima (ubulu – uku)-Aframomum danieli1

Legumes, nuts and seeds

PreparationLocal nameEnglish/common name

Scientific name

Some Nigerian Traditional foods

Peeled and eaten as a fruit snackachicha (yellow inside velvet black

ConophorCola lepidota27

Boiled, milled, roasted, & eaten as snackokpa ibiBambaragroundnut

Vigna subterranea

26

Boiledokpa nkilisi-Vigna spp.25

Boiled, roastedAkidiCowpeaVigna sinensis24

Boiled, roasted and eaten as snackUkwaBreadfruit seedTreculia Africana (2 var.)

23

BoiledKpokirikpo-Tetrapleuratetraptera

22

Boiled and eaten as snackUkpaConophorTetracarpidiumconophorum / Plukenetiaconophora

21

Boiled and eaten as snackmkpuru uguPumpkin seedTeleferia spp.20

Boiled, roasted and eaten as snackokpa oduduAfrican yam bean

Sphenostylisstenocarpa

19

Roasted, milled for soup.-BeniseedSesamumindicum

18

Fermented sliced and used for various dishes

ugbaAfrican oil beanPentaclethramacrophylia

17

Roasted, milledokweWinged beanMucuna spp.16

Boiled, roasted, milledakidi aniGround beanKerstingiellageocarpa

15

• (3) Fruits and vegetables • Fruits are described as the ripened seeds

of plants and the adjoining tissues which house them. They are commonly used as desserts.

• Vegetables are the leafy outgrowth of plants or part of plants that are used in making soups or eaten with the principal part of a meal.

• In southern Nigeria, leafy vegetables are grouped into:

• cultivated leafy vegetables such as pumpkin, green (spinach), bitter leaf, ewedu, water leaf etc

• semi – wild vegetables which grow wild in the bush but are now protected to grow in the home garden e.g utazi, uziza, atama (Ibos) okpai (Edo)

Some fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, pineapple, Some fruits and vegetables: tomatoes, pineapple, spinach, mangoes, garden eggsspinach, mangoes, garden eggs

Some fruits and vegetables: Some fruits and vegetables:

• Okro, yellow and red pepper, pawpaw

Display of plantain for sale in the Display of plantain for sale in the open marketopen market

Used to cook yam or cocoyam. Soften on cooling, boiled and eaten as snack

anyu, ugboguruPumpkinCurcurbita pepo (2 var.)14

Chewed raw, medicinaloji ogodo`kolaCola spp.13

Eaten raw with corn/maizeAkuoyibeCoconutCocos nucifera12

Fruit eaten when ripeOromaOrangeCitrus aurantium11

-OromankitiOrangeCitrus aurantifolia10

Fruit eaten when ripeudala nkitiBush apple (African star apple)

Chrysophyllum albiduim9

Fruit eaten when ripeokwuru eziPawpawCarica papaya8

Soften in hot water and pulp eatenube okpokoPearCanarium schweinfurthii7

Used for malariaDogoyaroNeemAzadirachta indica6

-ukwa bekeeBreadfruitArtocarpus communis5

Fruit eaten when ripe-SoursopAnonas muricarta4

Fruit eaten when ripeAkwuoluPineappleAnonas comosus3

Roasted and eaten as a snackmkpuru cashewCashewAnacardium occidentalis2

Used fir soupsokwulu npieneLady’s fingerAbelmoschus esculenta1

Fruits

PreparationLocal nameEnglish/common name

Scientific name

Some Nigerian Traditional foods contd

A fruit eaten with peanut butter or aloneanyaraGarden egg fruitSolanum macrocarpum35

Used for cooking yam pottagesigbunmuoNigero plantSenna occidentalis34

Eaten when ripegovaGuavaPsidium guajava33

Dry leaves used for soup during the dry season

njanjaSand pepperPiper umbellate32

English pear is ripened and eaten aloneube oyiboAvocado pearPersia Americana31

Fruit eaten when ripeudala nwaenweMonkey applePachystela breviceps30

Fruit eaten when ripeujujuUjuju fruitMyrianthus arboreus29

Fruit eaten when ripemangoroMabgoMagnifera indica (4 var.)28

Used for stews and other preparationstomatoesTomatoesLycopersicum esculentum(4 var)

27

Fruit eaten when ripeakwari, utu mmaeso, utummaenyi, ubune

Rubber plantLandolphia spp. (4 var.)26

Fruit eaten when ripeutu npiwaRubber plantLandolphia owariensis25

Fruit eaten when ripeUgiriBush mango Irvingia spp.24

Eaten as a fruitUrumbia-Icacemia spp.23

Used for upset stomachAluluisinmoMintHusolandia opprosita22

-AyaumaJute plantGrewia spp.21

-aki iluBitter colaGarcinia kola20

Major source of cooking oilAkuPalm fruitElaeis guineensis19

Eaten rawIchekuVelvet tamarindDialium guineense18

Hot pepper eaten alone or with garden eggs

MmimiPepper fruitDennettia tripetala17

Soften in boiled water or roasted and used to eat maize.corn or alone

ube IgboPearDacryodes edulis (2 var.)16

Boiled, milled and used for soupnkpuru anyuPumpkinCurcurbita pepo (1 var.)15

Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and Vegetables contdcontd• Fruits and vegetables abound in the different Nigerian

culture but are highly seasonal.However, vegetables such:• as bitter leaf, Amaranthus (green), okazi (Gnetum

spp.) and pumpkin (ugu) are available year-round, but are expensive during the dry season.

• Among the vegetables used less frequently are obiogbome (Peptadentia spp.), anya-azu (Psychotriaspp.), kpugbum (Chromolaena odorata), ujuju(Myrianthus arboreus), ulumiri (Spathodeacampanulata), Olili (Brillantaisia merrenia spp.) aluluisimmo (Husolandia opprosita) and

okpanwaokuko (Aduraria chamae).• These are mainly obtained from the wild except

Merremia spp., Spathodea campanulataand Psychoria, which are found in home gardens.

• Bananas and citrus fruits, particularly oranges, are themost readily available fruits

Some seasonal and nonSome seasonal and non--seasonal leafy vegetablesseasonal leafy vegetables

• Green leafy vegetables

9.9405.2367.416.1121.20.940.3632.71.44.632.91.416.487821032.9Illenagbelede

9.4131.5260.454.4113.70.540.3269.54.22.140.70.26.880319246.0Ifulu nkpisi

2.1233.865.716.4231.10.860.6919.42.41.621.30.28.650612165.9Hog weed

5.433.876.131.5442.00.541.328.32.60.843.70.38.688621244.0Flame tree

5.4235.6473.4------1.80.937.00.66.875718152.9Bush marigold

11.9

85.043.42.961.10.360.186.94.26.324.10.44.248911760.8Azei

5.8326.2582.130.862.40.520.1769.53.22.137.40.49.680319247.3Awolowoweed

14.6

134.6166.222.961.51.10.1825.71.80.617.11.312.854813166.4Anya-azu

9.5338.3657.618.03.01.20.930.0955.53.41.672.41.24.6133331936.0Aluluisi

11.1

127.8380.9------2.92.113.90.714.850612165.7Alice mose

5.415.74.1------1.60.733.00.36.466916057.9Agili ezi

2.0188529.04.4803.00.360.2818.90.91.718.00.47.944710771.1Agbolukwu

UNCOMMON VEGETABLES

NUTRIENT CONTENT OF SOME NIGERIAN NUTRIENT CONTENT OF SOME NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL FOODS ( Some Tubers)TRADITIONAL FOODS ( Some Tubers)

0.8331.016.626.2391.03.150.335.3628.08Sweet potato

0.7036.06.010.0382.65.220.707.8524.89Cocoyam (Tannia)

0.7253.624.014.0376.44.830.718.6626.52Cocoyam (Taro)

0.4840.718.917.0385.94.300.465.8726.17Yam

0.5035.010.035.0390.02.660.532.7131.94Cassava

mgmgmgmgKcals(g)(g)(g)(g)Commodity

FePCaVit. C

EnergyAshFatProtein Dry matter

Spices and other vegetableSpices and other vegetable

• Some soup condiments-melon seeds (egusi) African bush mango seed (ogbonor) and minor melon (irere)

Contribution of Traditional foods to Contribution of Traditional foods to Assuring Nutrition SecurityAssuring Nutrition Security

• Several authors have assessed the contribution of traditional foods to meeting adequate nutrition

• A detailed work (Okeke et al 2009) showed that traditional Nigerian foods fed to children 3 -5 years supplied adequate energy (101.24%) but deficient in proteins and some micronutrients.

• Over 80% of protein intake came from plant proteins

• Studies involving school age children 6-12yr (Onimawo et al 2010) indicated low protein and micronutreints intake particularly iron and zinc.

• However when meals were prepared from traditionally available foods for children 3-5yr, the result showed adequate intake of energy, protein and most of the micronutrients in some cases

• Their intake was adequate for calcium (88.5%) and riboflavin (81.0%) only.

• Traditional foods contributed over 90% of the energy, protein, thiamin, niacin and ascorbic acid

• Over 70% of vitamin A and iron intakes of these children.

• Among the traditional foods, cereals made the most significant contribution to energy (31.1%) and niacin (39.9%).

• Legumes made the highest contribution to protein (49.1%).

• The calcium intake came mainly from vegetables (16.8%) and legumes (16.0%).

Contribution of Traditional foods to Assuring Contribution of Traditional foods to Assuring Nutrition Security Nutrition Security contdcontd

• About 26.5% of the iron came from cereals. • This was followed by legumes (26.3%). • Only 6.8% of the vitamin A came from

vegetables. • The rest (71.8%) came from red palm oil. • Thiamin and riboflavin came mainly from nuts

and seeds (33.9%) and (29.9%). • The bulk of the ascorbic acid came from starchy

roots and tubers (58.1%).• The energy, protein, calcium, iron, riboflavin and

niacin intakes of school children 6-12 years were low.

• Intakes were adequate for pro vitamin A, thiamin and ascorbic acid

• Starchy roots and tubers contributed most of their energy intake (29.7%). This was followed by legumes (23.9%).

Contribution of Traditional foods to Contribution of Traditional foods to Assuring Nutrition Security Assuring Nutrition Security contdcontd

• The bulk of the protein, calcium and iron came from legumes (44.1%,18.2% and 37.9%).

• Vegetables contributed only about 14.7% of the total vitamin A intake.

• Red palm oil was the major source of vitamin A (71.5%). Vegetables were also a significant contributor of thiamin (34.8%) and riboflavin (31.9%).

• Legumes also made some contribution to thiamin (35.7%).

• Nuts and seeds were also significant contributors of riboflavin (30%). Niacin was derived mainly from legumes (28.4%), cereals (25.9%).

• Vegetables made significant contributions to ascorbic acid intake (25.6%)

Summary of the findings on Summary of the findings on Nigerian traditional foodsNigerian traditional foods

• Several other studies indicated the following:

• Traditional foods are rich in all the required nutrients

• Poor combination of the various foods is the bane of adequate nutrient intake

• Poor processing and culinary methods contribute significantly to nutrient losses

• Under exploitation of tradition foods undermine their rich nutritional value

• Lack of nutrition education contributes to the inappropriate uses of traditional foods

• Low consumption levels of traditional fresh fruits and vegetables contribute significantly to micronutrient deficiency

• Wrong choice of Food and age long food/dietary habits affected adequate nutrient intake.

• There are community variations in the contribution of specific food groups.

• In the Southern states in Nigeria, starchy roots and tubers, legumes, nuts and seeds made substantial contributions to energy intake,

• In northern Nigeria, legumes and cereals significantly contribute to the intake of energy.

Contribution of traditional foodsContribution of traditional foodsto nutrient intaketo nutrient intake

• Traditional Nigerian diets are plant-based, with little contribution made by meat and their products.

• In the Northeast and North west geo-political zones meat and milk products (suya and fura de nono) are consumed to considerable extent.

• Simple processing (e.g. fermentation) and cooking methods (e.g. steaming, baking and roasting) were used in preparing traditional foods.

• Traditional foods/diets are high in moisture, bulky and low in nutrient density

Contribution of nutrition education to Contribution of nutrition education to improved intake of vegetablesimproved intake of vegetables

Contribution of nutrition Contribution of nutrition education to improved intake education to improved intake

of fruitsof fruits

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION• Malnutrition characterised by under-nutrition is prevalent

in Nigeria• Poverty causes and aggravates malnutrition• Under-nutrition can be reduced significantly when the

traditional Nigerian food system is improved using a combination of strategies including nutrition education.

• Need to draw attention to traditional foods that are almost forgotten in preference to westernised diets that invaded our food system

• One of the main areas that need attention if our traditional food system will assure food security is encouragement in vegetables and fruit consumption.